The Japan Formula One Grand Prix used to alternate between two tracks, Toyota’s Fuji track and Honda’s Suzuka track. But in 2009 Toyota announced it would not host the race at Fuji Speedway in 2010 and beyond due to a downturn in the global economy. As such the race has been held at Suzuka ever since that announcement. The Japan F1 race used to be the last race of the season but with the expansion of the Formula One calendar it no longer holds that spot.
The Suzuka track is interesting as it is a figure eight design with the track crossing over itself. Other Formula One tracks don’t do that.
The tropical storm Typhoon Hagibis, the year's biggest, was due to hit Japan on Saturday and strong winds were set to continue into Sunday. Qualifying, which had been scheduled to take place on Saturday was postponed to Sunday morning due to the effects of Typhoon Hagibis. The race went ahead on Sunday as scheduled.
Qualifying resulted in a Ferrari front row with Vettel taking the pole, however Vettel anticipated the lights out/race start and almost jumped the start. He didn’t move far ahead enough to cause a penalty but it did throw him off the real start and as a result he immediately lost the lead to Mercedes’ Bottas.
The race was won by Bottas with Vettel taking second place and Lewis Hamilton in third position. The two Mercedes cars earned enough points to win Mercedes an unprecedented sixth consecutive Constructors Championship title. However Lewis Hamilton by finishing in third place didn’t gain enough points in this race to secure his sixth world championship. He probably will do so at the next race in Mexico City.
Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes set the fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:30.983 on lap 45 (new lap record) of the 5.807 km (3.608 mi) circuit.
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